Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Eustace Lady Bulldog Arin Rhodes (11, right) goes up
to block the shot of Van's Caitlyn Galloway (11, left)
during their district championship-determining match
in Eustace Oct. 21. Eustace was scheduled to face New
Boston in the area round of the 3A volleyball playoffs
Saturday in Gladewater.

Beware of hurricane boatsSpecial to The Monitor
ALEXANDRIA, Va.–By the time the new owner of a nine-year old, $35,000,
24-foot fishing boat approached the Boat U.S. Consumer Affairs
Department for help, it was too late.
Shortly after purchasing the vessel, the new owner discovered that the
boat had been subjected to “excessive trauma” from a hurricane that
caused serious structural damage. Unfortunately, the new owner was now
left with only one expensive option – litigation.
While buying a used boat is never easy, recent hurricanes could lead to
an increase in the number of hurricane-damaged vessels for sale on the
used boat market.
Many boats are properly repaired and sold, but sellers don’t always tell
the whole truth, and sometimes just finding out whether a boat has been
hurricane damaged can be difficult – especially if cosmetic repairs have
been made.
Here are some tips that could help protect you from inadvertently buying
a hurricane damaged vessel:
• Vote “independent” Having a survey done by an independent surveyor is
key. In the case of the 24-foot fishing vessel, the new owner hired a
surveyor – who was recommended by the dealer – for the pre-purchase
inspection.
The true extent of the hurricane damage was never fully revealed until
after the boat’s new owner, who lived in another state many miles away,
received delivery, became suspicious, and then hired his own surveyor.
• State line shuffle Anyone wishing to obscure a boat’s history need
only cross state lines to avoid detection.
That’s because unlike automobiles, there are few states that have laws
requiring the titles of junked or salvaged boats be “branded” as such.
Only 36 states even have a requirement that powerboats be titled.
In the case of our 24-footer, the boat was damaged in Texas when a
hurricane struck. The absence of salvage title allowed the unscrupulous
seller to simply trailer the boat to Ohio to list it for sale with a
dealer.
A seller who is not willing to document where a boat has been berthed or
registered for the past few years should be a red flag, and extra
vigilance should be taken during the inspection and pre-purchase survey.
• Fuzzy “background” checks Although a few websites purport to provide
comprehensive background information about used boats, consumers should
be skeptical.
There is no one national clearinghouse for boat information, short of
checking the records of each boat by calling the boat registration
agencies in every state.
Be aware that even if you do that, state boat registration records do
not include information about accidents or insurance claims.
• “As Is” could mean “expensive” Protections afforded consumers by
federal warranty laws and state implied warranty provisions are limited
when products are sold “as is.”
Without a thorough inspection and pre-purchase survey, you may not find
any storm-related damages until something major happens and new repair
efforts reveal their true extent.
Your insurance policy won’t cover the repairs, since most don’t cover
pre-existing conditions.
If you do buy “as is,” consider adding a statement in the sales contract
that says the seller has revealed everything they know about the boat’s
existing or repaired damages.
• Eyes Wide Open For certain buyers, purchasing a hurricane damaged
vessel may be appealing, provided they have the time, budget and sweat
equity needed to facilitate repairs. However, knowing it’s a “hurricane
boat” is a must.
For more information on boat buying, or to get a free copy of the
BoatU.S. Guide to Buying and Selling a Boat, go to http://my.BoatUS.com/consumer.